Page 12 of The Orc Outcast's Mate

“Oh, so that’s why you don’t want to let anyone in your clan know we’re here? Cause you want to keep me all to yourself?”

“Exactly.” He tensed, throat tight. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the full truth, either.

Miranda shot him a wry look, seeing through him so easily it left him a little breathless. “For real though, why don’t you want to make our presence known? Do you really think it’s a good idea to rob them and run?”

Govek growled low. She’d brought up her reservations constantly during the last two days they had traveled. “I will not argue with you over this again, Miranda. We will stay away from the orcs of Rove Wood and that is the end of it.”

His woman huffed irritably but relented. “Fine, fine. I suppose I won’t complain over a few more days of solitude with you. And you have no reason to be jealous. I’m not a cheater. One sexy, randy orc is all I need.”

She stroked his cheek again and his irritation dimmed, replaced by the gentle lulling thunder of her imprint in his chest.

“But if we do end up getting caught, don’t worry. I’ve got years of experience wrangling toddlers under my belt. If I can handle endless rampages around the playground, I can handle a bunch of men acting like jealous children.”

“We aren’t going to get caught,” Govek said. “And these are not men, they are orcs.”

“If I can handle you, then I can handle them.”

He slid his gaze to hers. “You think you have me handled, do you?”

His chest nearly burst with pleasure as a mischievous grin widened her lips. “Oh, I absolutely think I have you handled, Govek.”

“I’d like you to prove your words,” he said before he could consider that he might regret this taunting.

He barely had time to gulp before her warm fingers slid up his thigh and grazed firmly against his cock, still semi-hard from all the teasing. More like torture.

“Handled well enough for you?” Her fingertips grazed over the head of his cock and his mind went deliciously blank.

“Fuck.”

“Are you—” She broke off, eyes widening, fingers retreating. He shivered from the loss. “What... is that?”

Still half gone, Govek glanced ahead and his gut pinched.

They had arrived in Rove Wood Clan.

Or the outskirts of it, at least. One of the vacant tree homes nestled at the furthest edge of the clan was before them, half hidden by trees. The back door was outlined and the window next to it was dark.

It was fine. These homes on the northern side were too far away for any members of the clan to scent him. He could not even smell the fire from the hall at the center of the clan, which was where everyone should be at the moment.

At the hall, eating and enjoying the company of their brethren.

Govek clutched at the elk.

“Is that . . . that can’t possibly be . . .”

He looked down at his woman, who had picked up the pace to approach the vacant dwelling.

“It is. Govek that house is carved into a tree. A living tree. How is that tree so big? There’s no way. That must be like fifty trees put together, right? Where’s the top of it. I can’t even see it up there?”

“It is one tree,” Govek said, forcing himself to relax in the face of Miranda’s excitement.

“That’s amazing! Is your house in a tree too? How did those trees even get that big? They must be thousands of years old. Wow! I can’t even believe it. It looks pretty dark. Is someone living in there right now?”

“That one is vacant.”

“Can we go in?”

“Not now. We must go to the butchery. My home is also in a tree. I will let you explore when we arrive.”

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